City plans Japanese encephalitis vaccinations

HCM City plans to vaccinate children aged one to five against Japanese encephalitis between August and December following an increase in the prevalence of the disease.

The disease, which is caused by a flavivirus that affects the membranes around the brain and can cause lasting damage to the central nervous system and even death, is expected to peak soon.

It spreads through mosquito bites and the current rainy season helps breed mosquitoes, a vector in other diseases also, the city's Department of Health has warned. The department has recommended that parents should strictly follow vaccination and dose schedules to protect their children against the disease.

Between 2011 and 2013 city doctors treated 12 children suffering from various types of viral encephalitis. In the first six months of this year only one case was found.

NGUOI LAODONG (Labourer)

Health ministry gives medicine to fishermen

A Ministry of Health team led by health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien visited and gifted medicine worth more than VND500 million (US$ 24,000) to 253 fishermen in Da Nang.

The ministry next plans to give away more of the same to nearly 300 fishermen in Quang Binh and Ha Tinh provinces.

SAI GON GIAI PHONG (Liberated Sai Gon)

Fewer books published this year

Around 20,900 books on various subjects were published in the country in the first six months of this year, a 43.8 per cent decrease from the same period last year, the Viet Nam Publishing House Association informed a meeting with the Ministry of Information and Communications in Quang Binh Province this week.